I have sent some gifts to a special someone and she said of how thoughtful I am. I do not know really what thoughtful is. At least in its other form. Until a few days ago. My pamangkins got some money ( out of their own pocket) and bought burgers and fries for Monet ( our cousin who took care of my pamangkins for more than a decade now), for Mujay ( Monet's son) and for MJ. And that's thoughtful I think in its simple ways.

Well for me I always have pasalubongs for them ( pamangkins) as if they are so excited to see and hear me entering their gate. And they prepare me a good meal ( they are the one who prepare the table and plates etc, for me). A service deluxe indeed!

And of course how they are thoughtful to their own parents is something I admired. In special occasions like Valentine's day and birthdays, they always have some special gift (out of their own savings!)..

Tintin with Ate Arlyn and Kuya Efren in Singapore when she was two years old..

Tin as toddler..the very first niece that I have taken care of..

Born as Christine Joy but to me she is Tin or "tinting matsing" but I never call her now as is. She was the one who coined my nickname to all of my niece and nephews as "Tito Ban". By default she was my first "niece" since she was with us up to two years old (in our house).

And now she is in college in UPLB. Time moves fast. Together with her two brothers, we became the formidable team. I even mistaken by others as their father hahahaha! ( am I old enough really?). Anyways as I have some conversation with them, I am easily forgetting the times that they have become toddler just like Mujay ( Monet…

We always think of an icon as something or someone that makes a trademark by merely saying its name of seeing its logo. It symbolizes something that comes to our mind and synonymous to what it represents.
Mother Theresa. Jesus Christ. Dalai Lama. Some icons that remind us of higher good. Some that remind us that we are here to help others. Not only ourselves. Some icons become legends. Marilyn Monroe. Kurt Cobain. Andy Warhol. Picasso. Name it and they have their place in our mind that somehow remind us of how great and influential they are even up to now.

And of course there is coffee. Icon for all time. Sweeping every nation with its aroma. With its taste. Not only as a tool ( food/drink) for social gatherings ( in those coffee shops where everyone frequently visit for some talks..) but also as something that our system cannot live without ( at least if you are a coffee drinker).

And it will live forever.Just like those many icons of our generations.

A holiday yesterday and I have nothing to do but see a mini exhibit in Lipa about kapeng barako..Lipa City is now starting to reclaim the title as The Coffee Capital of the country in which Cavite is now proclaiming it to be..